One of the most emotional and thought provoking images ever taken on a baseball field was snapped on May 2, 1939. Feeling ill again Lou Gehrig took himself out of the Yankees lineup for the first time in 14 years, snapping his streak of consecutive games played at 2130. Nobody, not even Gehrig, knew the problems ahead and all wished for a speedy recovery. Not knowing the magnitude of the health issues but realizing the significance of the moment a photographer snapped this now iconic image of Gehrig as he sits on the dugout steps and watches his teammates from the bench for the first time with his bat artistically posed in front of him ready for use that would not come. This sweeping horizontal image is one of only a handful of originals to ever be offered, dated May 3, 1939 (the day after the event) on the back. Photo has some light wear and the dark areas around Gehrig have been magnificently darkened by a skilled artist at the newspaper for publication. This is the best 1939 example of this image we have ever offered in any form. One of the most important baseball photographs ever taken, period!

Size: 8x10
Designation: Wire
Condition: 4.5/5
Quality: 4.5/5
Overall Grade: 9/10